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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28369407">o, Lazarus,</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApatheticRobots/pseuds/ApatheticRobots'>ApatheticRobots</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Humor, Immortality, Temporary Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:21:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,103</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28369407</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApatheticRobots/pseuds/ApatheticRobots</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Starscream had to be honest, on the list he kept of ways he could possibly die, "being chased down and killed by Predacons" wasn't exactly highly ranked.</p><p>Secret Solenoid gift for <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insecuriosity/pseuds/Insecuriosity">Insecuriosity</a>! Prompt was "<em>Starscream discovers that the Dark Energon DID affect him - he's accidentally immortal, apparently. It's hard to tell who is more surprised - him or Predaking. What now?</em>"</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Predaking &amp; Starscream (Transformers), Starscream &amp; Unicron (Transformers)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>78</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Secret Solenoid '20-'21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>o, Lazarus,</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insecuriosity/gifts">Insecuriosity</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hope you enjoy! I'll be honest, I wasn't gonna put myself through the experience of watching the movie *again,* so i just did my best to remember how it went and fudged stuff here and there lol.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Starscream had to be honest, on the list he kept of ways he could possibly die, "being chased down and killed by Predacons" wasn't exactly highly ranked. It wasn’t low, because he knew <em> quite </em> well that Predaking didn't like him (and, really, he was only mildly unjustified), but he'd have thought Megatron or Shockwave would be the death of him sooner. The Autobots (in descending order, starting with the two-wheeler and ending with the Prime) were the next highest. Before his untimely demise, Dreadwing was pretty high on that list too. Airachnid was only a spot above the Predacons. Maybe she could have stood to be moved down a couple spots, given she'd been a little MIA for a while. Soundwave had a place, but he was pretty low; he'd let some well-placed blackmail get the job done before he'd resort to murder.</p><p> </p><p>It briefly occurred to him that most mechs probably did not have a categorized list of all the allies/enemies most likely to kill them at any given point. And that didn’t even include the secondary list of non-cybertronian possible causes of death, like plague or virulent weather. Or the other list, the comprehensive one, that included both previous lists and several other possible causes of death he hadn’t included on the first two. He’d spent a long time developing them. </p><p> </p><p>Anyways, TLDR, Predacons had really not been the way he thought he would go.</p><p> </p><p>Yet here he was, running as fast as his pedes would carry him (he wasn't quite sure enough of his own speed for him to feel like he'd manage to transform and fly off before he got caught, or sure enough of where he was going that he knew he wouldn’t accidentally crash into a wall,) away from three very angry beasts who definitely didn't intend to let him out of this alive.</p><p> </p><p>He was used to fearing for his life. He was, however, also used to having it threatened by people who would listen to begging/pleading/any other number of pathetic things he utilized when his spark was on the line. Even the most cold-sparked mechs at least hesitated long enough when met with his teary optics for him to gain a bit of ground away from them before they came to their senses and started attacking again.</p><p> </p><p>But these beasts, they couldn't be reasoned with. Maybe they could have, if Starscream had done things differently. But he hadn't, and it was too late to be worrying about what-ifs, so there was no use putting much thought into it. Not when his processor could be devoted to more important things. Namely, remembering his way around this mess of a fortress.</p><p> </p><p>Such a waste. It hadn't even been put to good use during its time, in his opinion.</p><p> </p><p>Oh scrap this way was a dead end.</p><p> </p><p>He briefly hoped that in his attempts to get away, he'd taken enough sharp turns to dislodge his pursuers, to lose them somewhere in the tangle of hallways. But the thundering pedesteps and roaring that followed were enough of an indicator that no, actually, he hadn't. Damn.</p><p> </p><p>He pressed himself back against the wall, wings high and shaking, as Predaking and his lackeys stomped towards him.</p><p> </p><p>"Come now," he said, hating how much his voice shook, "surely there's something-- Something I could do to-- to appease you. You needn't take such… drastic action." </p><p> </p><p>Predaking bared his teeth, transforming from beast to bipedal mode and looming over Starscream. It was an intimidation tactic. Megatron and Shockwave used to do it all the time. (Just because he could see it for what it was didn't mean it wasn't working. The Predacon was pretty intimidating, even when he wasn’t coming after Starscream with clear intent to kill.)</p><p> </p><p>"We are long past the time of compromise, Starscream," Predaking said, practically a growl. The other two Predacons paced behind him, clearly anxious to just get to the violence part of this whole exchange. At least Predaking was willing to posture a bit beforehand. Gave him the slightest bit more time to try and think of some clever way out of this. "You have looked down on me since the day I was brought before you. Beaten me, belittled me. I should have gone through with my threats against your spark long ago. I spared you because it was my Master's wishes, but now? I have no Master, I am under no control but my own. And I will <em> not </em> be subjugated <em> ever </em>again."</p><p> </p><p>Starscream barely had time to start up another protest before the claws came down. And then there was nothing but darkness.</p><p> </p><p>If he was honest, he thought dying would be a lot more… death-y. A sort of end-all, your processor just <em> stops </em> and then you're gone. That's how it always looked, anyways, when he’d been on the delivering end. He'd never believed in much of an afterlife, and if he was being honest, if such a thing <em> was </em> real, there was little chance he would be getting in. He knew he was no paragon. He wasn't sure what would happen instead, but an all-consuming void would've been better than… whatever this was.</p><p> </p><p>Still a void, but he wasn't feeling very consumed. Actually, he felt like slag. Nothing he wasn't used to, of course. Being in an inordinate amount of pain and not entirely sure what was going on was practically his daily routine. The fact that he couldn't seem to make his frame do what he wanted was a little more concerning, though also not unheard of for him. This was a lot less "end of the line" and more "Oh, great, I'm gonna wake up in the medbay again and Knock Out's gonna lord this over me <em> again." </em></p><p> </p><p>But he <em> was </em> dead. He was sure of it.</p><p> </p><p>Damnit, why did being dead hurt so much? He felt like his frame was tearing itself apart. And… trying to knit itself back together. At the same time. Sue him, he wasn't great at explaining things. Whatever it was it hurt like the pit.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Strange.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Oh, great, disembodied voices, just what would make this whole experience so much better. Fan-fragging-tastic. Could he get some ethereal glowing or ominous noises to go along? </p><p> </p><p><b>I can sense my influence coursing through you,</b> mused the voice, <b>and yet I cannot control it.</b></p><p> </p><p><em> Of course you can't, </em> Starscream thought as an instinctive retort. <em> I would not allow myself to be puppeted around so easily. I am not as weak as him. </em> </p><p> </p><p><b>I had thought you weaker.</b> Oh, wait, he knew this voice. <b>It appears I was wrong. How novel, </b>Unicron said, sounding more amused than anything. Somehow Starscream had known that kicking him out of Megatron's frame was nothing even close to killing him, but it still kind of sucked having that confirmed.</p><p> </p><p><em> Don't get near me!! </em> He tried his best to shriek, wishing he had enough control to take a swipe at the emptiness and ward off any unseen attackers. <em> I know what you did to him, and you can't have my frame so easily! </em></p><p> </p><p>A low sound reverberated through the not-area, and it took Starscream several nervous seconds to realize it was laughter. Unicron, the Unmaker, literal personification of evil, was laughing at him. How rude.</p><p> </p><p><b>So much ferocity in such a tiny frame. </b> A distinct sense that he was being mocked. Another thing he was unfortunately used to. <b>Fear not, little Seeker. As much as I would revel in taking your frame as my own, a living spark must be willing to receive me, and you have made it quite clear that you are not. So I will just have to be patient for a little while longer.</b></p><p> </p><p>He was having a hard time focusing on the words being beamed directly into his processor around the pain ramping up, but there was one part he caught and latched onto.</p><p> </p><p><em> What do you mean a </em> <b> <em>living</em> </b> <em> spark? </em></p><p> </p><p><b>Farewell, little Seeker,</b> said Unicron, not even having the decency to grace him with a little explanation. <b>We will not be meeting again.</b></p><p> </p><p>The darkness of the void around him burst into light, and he got the sickening sense that there was something <em> very wrong </em>before he was overwhelmed and lost consciousness.</p><p> </p><p>When he woke up (which wasn't something he was supposed to be able to do, considering, y'know, he <em> died) </em> everything hurt. To be expected. What wasn't expected, though, was how rapidly his pain was fading. And how, when he cared to open one optic and glance down at his chest, the (frankly gruesome) gashes on his chest seemed to be melding back together, like a particularly strong soldering job. The edges of the injury flickered a deep purple as they knit back together, leaving his chassis as shiny and spotless as the day he'd been built.</p><p> </p><p>He tried to stifle his noise of shock. By the way Predaking froze where he was standing a few paces away, his back to Starscream, he hadn't done a very good job of it.</p><p> </p><p>It had felt like eons had passed in that dark void where Starscream had come face to face with the Unmaker and walked away completely untouched. But judging by how far Predaking hadn't gotten, it had been barely a minute.</p><p> </p><p>The Predacon whipped around at his quiet noise, optics blazing as he stalked forward.</p><p> </p><p>"What?" He hissed, gaze darting over Starscream's completely uninjured. "What is this trickery? I saw your spark extinguish with my own eyes. How could you <em> possibly </em> be alive?" He sounded about as bewildered as Starscream felt.</p><p> </p><p>"I--" </p><p> </p><p>Whatever bullshit explanation he'd been about to give was promptly cut off by a set of claws grabbing him bodily around the middle and hefting him up so he was optic-to-optic with Predaking. "No matter," the beast said with bared teeth, "I will simply have to make sure I do the job <em> right </em> this time."</p><p> </p><p>He barely had time to scream before those aforementioned claws closed around him, and there was a searing pain before everything went dark.</p><p> </p><p>There was no void, no otherworldly voice speaking to him this time. Simply a brief period of nothing and then he was gasping, blinking awake, crouched on the floor where he'd (he guessed, anyways) been thrown and hit the floor. His frame once more repairing itself with that odd purple glow.</p><p> </p><p><em> Dark Energon, </em> he recognized belatedly, remembering that same sickly purple glow from his various encounters with the stuff. </p><p> </p><p>A furious roar, and he was again interrupted when he was grabbed around the midsection and thrown bodily down the hallway. The other two Predacons, who'd been hovering behind their leader as though not sure what quite to do since their target didn't have the decency to stay dead when they killed him, screeched and flew in opposite directions to avoid him as he soared past them and hit the ground hard enough to dent his wing. Apparently his miraculous self-healing wasn't just limited to things that killed him, because almost as soon as the metal crumpled it was straightening itself out.</p><p> </p><p>(Why couldn’t it have started doing that <em> earlier?? </em> Instant self-healing would’ve come in a lot of handy before now. A moment after that thought popped up, the unfortunately logical part of his brain pointed out that he probably had to die for it to start working, so maybe it was a good thing that it had taken as long as it did.)</p><p> </p><p>Predaking stomped towards him, servos clenched into fists and creaking with the strain as he approached. "You will <em> not </em> get out of this so easily, Starscream. Rest assured, I will kill you as many times as it takes to avenge what was done to me. How <em> you </em> treated me."</p><p> </p><p>"But--" Would he really do that? Just kill Starscream over and over, again and again, until it stuck? How many times would that take? How long until the Dark Energon that still clung to his systems wore out and he died for good? </p><p> </p><p>If he was being honest, which he seemed to be doing a lot today, he didn't want to put his newfound durability to the test. Dying hadn't been on his agenda in the first place and he wasn't about to jot it down there now. Not now that he… apparently couldn't.</p><p> </p><p>What the <em> slag. </em> He knew Dark Energon was unquantified, that no one <em> really </em> knew all of what it could do, but you'd think if it could do <em> this, </em>they'd have seen it before. </p><p> </p><p>Megatron might not have--</p><p> </p><p>Well.</p><p> </p><p>"Please," he choked out as Predaking once more hefted him up between his claws. "I-- There must be some other--" He took a moment to wheeze. "I-I'm sorry--"</p><p> </p><p>The hand slowly crushing him froze. Predaking's grip went lax, and Starscream fell to the floor, drawing his limbs close and coughing as his systems sought to right themselves from the pressure they'd been subject to. </p><p> </p><p>Starscream spared a glance at Predaking, briefly hoping that looking at him didn't make him want to go back to trying to kill him again.</p><p> </p><p>The Predacon was frozen, staring at him wide-opticed.</p><p> </p><p>...What?</p><p> </p><p>He continued to stare. The other two Predacons came down from their hiding spots and hissed, but he brushed them off with an absent wave of his servo and a low growl. They (clearly reluctantly) settled a little ways behind him. </p><p> </p><p>Predaking sat down before Starscream, crossing his legs and setting his hands in his lap. "You know," he said, musing, looking over Starscream and down the hall, vaguely in the direction of the throne room. "I don't think anyone has ever apologized to me before." </p><p> </p><p>Echoing his earlier thoughts, Starscream muttered; "...What?"</p><p> </p><p>"It's true. Megatron certainly never did, he only treated me like slightly less of a beast than you and hardly respected me once I made it clear I wasn't going to simply roll over and obey his commands. Shockwave, though he treated me more kindly than Megatron, still expected to be obeyed, and as my creator felt he had no need to ever apologize for his actions. And neither have you." He tilted his head. <em> "Had </em>you," he corrected. "It is not something I am accustomed to."</p><p> </p><p>Starscream knew enough about appeasing people with anger issues and acting suitably pitiful to save his own spark that he could recognize an in. And he wasn't going to let this one pass him by.</p><p> </p><p>Not when the alternative was repeated death. Or torment at the hands of Unicron. Both of those things sounded wildly unappealing.</p><p> </p><p>Especially compared to swallowing his pride and just properly apologizing for once in his life.</p><p> </p><p>"Well," he said, clearing his vocalizer. "I-- I am. Sorry. Both for… never apologizing, and for my previous actions. It was an-- an oversight on my part." It hadn't been. He just had no desire to interact with the beast any further, not after how much he <em> had </em> tormented it-- him. Tormented him. Any further interaction would just draw his ire further. So he'd kept his distance after Predaking revealed his ability to transform. "I am sorry," he said again.</p><p> </p><p>Predaking hummed, finally looking down at him. Starscream couldn't read whatever he might have been thinking behind those yellow optics. "Perhaps I was too hasty," he said. "Perhaps we can come to an agreement."</p><p> </p><p>The two Predacons crouching behind them stood and hissed, and Starscream flinched, but Predaking simply turned and bared his teeth, at which they fell silent.</p><p> </p><p>Well. With a giant beast of Predaking's strength on his side, maybe he <em> did </em> stand a chance on this newly revitalized Cybertron after--</p><p> </p><p>His thoughts were interrupted <em> (again, for frag's sake) </em> by a claw grabbing him around the middle. This grip was much gentler than the previous had been, however. He supposed he could give Predaking the benefit of the doubt and not struggle away. Yet.</p><p> </p><p>"This is an excellent development," Predaking said as he got to his pedes and started off down the halls of the fortress. The other two Predacons scurried after them. "For all your faults, Starscream, you are good at planning, and I have found myself at a loss of what to devote my future to. I have had one goal or another set by a third party for my entire life, I am not entirely sure what to do now that I am without. Perhaps you can help me figure it out."</p><p> </p><p>"Alright," Starscream said, trying his best not to think about how demeaning it was being carried around like this. "But-- we will be equals, do you understand? I will not have you or-- or <em> them </em> bossing me around. And," he quickly added, "I will not try and give you orders."</p><p> </p><p>"Of course," Predaking responded with an enthusiastic nod. "We are partners now, standing on even ground. You have proven yourself quite the determined adversary."</p><p> </p><p>A nice way of saying "you don't know when to die." But it was something like a compliment. He'd take it.</p><p> </p><p>"Thank you," he said, not quite sure how else to respond.</p><p> </p><p>Predaking made a mildly surprised noise. "I do not think anyone has ever truly thanked me before and meant it, either." There was a shockingly young sounding note of wonder in his voice. Starscream couldn't help but be reminded of some of the MTOs, early in the war, the starstruck way they would respond to everything. </p><p> </p><p>Slag, there was actually a good amount of similarities between them and Predaking, wasn't there? Dragged into a war they had no choice to fight, built fully functioning and expected to just cope with it, treated like dirt from the moment they arrived…</p><p> </p><p>Starscream imperceptibly tightened his grip on the servo he was clutched in. Just how long had Predaking been online before Shockwave brought him before Megatron? Before Starscream began mistreating him?</p><p> </p><p>How old <em> was </em> he?</p><p> </p><p>He could ask… but maybe it was better to just not push it right now. He was pretty sure he was riding the last of his incredibly thin luck and didn't want to risk snapping it <em> quite </em> yet. Not when there were two more Predacons trailing after them who would no doubt be happy to tear Starscream to pieces as soon as their leader gave the signal.</p><p> </p><p>"Well," Starscream said, "thank you. I greatly appreciate your, er…" Not 'mercy,' he didn't like the sound of that. He was pretty sure Predaking wouldn't like it either. "...Discretion?"</p><p> </p><p>"Hm." After a moment Predaking gave him a sharp-toothed smile. "You're welcome!" That expression had no right looking so genuine.</p><p> </p><p>Oh, Primus. Just what had he managed to get himself roped into?</p>
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